Gregor and the Return from the Darkness
by SamsungPony
Summary: Gregor has left the underland behind, pushing everything he loved about it from his mind. He struggles to dig himself from the dark hole he left himself in in the years since he last saw the underland. He is drawn back in when he needs the underlands help and discovers a new and familiar foe that is out for blood. Can Gregor conquer his demons to become the Warrior again? [GLuxa!]
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome one and all to my newest Fanfic. This is my third fic and I decided I wanted to try something new. I'm writing this as a story of redemption and return for several characters, so you'll have to hang on to the ride. I'm expecting a lot of people to yell OOC, but I'm not out of character because the characters have changed over a long period of time. The story will flesh out in coming chapters and this sits mostly as some character exposition so the next few chapters make more sense. This is going to be a very different ride than my other two fics. I'll warn right now that this story will eventually get very disturbing and dark. There will be language, lots of violent descriptions and possible sexual things. If any of those might not sit right with you you may not want to read this, but I would like everyone to try. This chapter has none of the above but I'm sure at least will show up soon. Anyway, Enjoy!**

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 **1**

The door closed behind him and the sound of the gym ceased, only to be replaced by the sound of the deluge of rain that was sweeping the city. The past week all it had been was rain and the sun hadn't even peaked out from behind the cloud cover. Gregor flipped his hood on his sweatshirt up and adjusted his duffel bag on his shoulder. "At least the apartment is only a few blocks away," he thought as he trudged along the sidewalk passing people in a hurry to get to where they were going. That was the majority of the people. Nobody liked the rain. Some, however, stood in and took the rain for what it was: rain. Gregor was like them. He didn't care if it rained a little. It was part of life. Plus, the day couldn't get any worse than it already had been.

A woman was rushing passed with her children, careful to stay out of Gregor's way. He wouldn't blame them. He was a mess. Gregor stepped closer to the curb to leave room for more passerby's just as a cab speed passed. Water sprayed up and doused him further from head to toe. Gregor blew out a breath and swiped his wet hair out of his eyes. The day official had gotten worse.

His apartment door creaked open as he pulled the key from the lock. It was nothing special, but it was home none the less. The building on the outside was ugly; he had no reason to lie about it. The inside though, wasn't terrible. His apartment at least had a couple rooms. He had a bedroom separated from the living space and the kitchen was too which was a step up from what some of his friends had.

His duffle dropped on the floor next to the door as he scooped up the mail. "Of course, more bills," Gregor groaned as he unzipped the bag and pulled out its contents. His uniform needed to be ironed again like most days, but otherwise his bag was fine. He pulled out his gloves though. He always kept those close to him.

His bedroom door closed and he stripped out of his wet clothes. His hoodie was the worst of it all and he threw it off to the side. He'd dry it later. His shorts joined them as did his undershirt and his underwear. Gregor stood naked and looked in the mirror. He was bruised and battered, but he was most days. Today was worse than normal, though. His eye was blackened and his jaw was bruised pretty good. "That's what happens when you miss the block on a right cross," he thought as he gingerly touched the swollen area. But it was all worth it to him in the end. It could get him out of this dump and somewhere so much better. He flexed for the mirror and looked at his physique. He was lean, very low body fat, but he was by no mean scrawny. His body was all fast twitch muscle ready for the work he put in everyday to get better.

His upper left arm was tattooed, as was his upper back. The tattoos meant less to him then they used to. He got them when he was seventeen just to get rid of some of his unwanted feelings. He put it out in the work. His arm was wrapped with the tribal tattoo he had found so appealing at the time, but his back was what he cherished the most. The field of flowers that represented so much. The gravestones that held so much meaning to him. It was his own way to put his old life behind him. One stone was for his grandma, rest her soul. She passed when he was sixteen and most vulnerable. The loss had ruined him and his family. It pushed him further away from his parents. Further then he had been. He drank, he tried drugs. Anything to ease the feelings he had. Anything to cover up his hurt and put everything behind him. He put his parents in a hard spot, but he was drowning out his old life and blamed it on his Grandmother's death. It had all caught up to him quickly. After the accident. The thought of it brought tears to his eyes. He hated thinking about it. And the scars it had left on him and in his heart.

The other grave on his back though was more symbolic. It was his own grave. The grave of his old life. His childhood. Not the regular one, but the one he had down below. The one he forced himself to forget so long ago. It was hard for him to do it, but he did. He put his past behind him and it was for the better now.

He heard his apartment door open and he quickly grabbed some boxers from the drawer. He pulled them on and stepped out of his room. A smile stretched across his battered face and he approached the person who had come through the door. His arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed her on the neck.

"Hey there, babe," Gregor whispered into her ear. She was the best thing to happen to Gregor in as long as he could imagine. Layla, was her name, and Gregor always wondered why he had a thing for girls names that started with an L. They had met a few years ago when Gregor was just out of high school. He was working because he didn't have the money to go to college and he didn't have the grades to warrant enough scholarships. That's not to say Gregor was stupid, but he had made mistakes. His parents kicked him out not long after his graduation due to his lifestyle and his choices. They wanted him to go to college and get a degree. They wanted him to be a more groomed man. Neither fit Gregor. Gregor was far from groomed. The tattoos were only the first step. Layla loved him for his kind heart and his ungroomedness. She loved him for all they had in common. For everything Gregor stood for.

Layla turned and put her hand on Gregor's face and he winced slightly. She kissed him tenderly. "I can see training went well today," she said with the slightest hint of sarcasm. Gregor knew she loved to talk like that.

"Yea. Bo worked me over good in the gym. And Courtney killed me at work." Gregor worked at a local cornershop that saw a lot of business. It was always stocked with beer and liquor and all kinds of snacks and it drew a bunch of different crowds. The people just scraping by, the people just passing through, the underage kids trying to buy beer. Everyone used the store. But it worked well for him too. The discount helped him with keeping enough stuff in his apartment for him to eat and not press him to hard for money. He liked his job but Courtney his manager was always a hardass on him because she used him for everything. He had to stock shelves, run the register, and clean. It didn't help that the only other employee, Becky, was 72 and had COPD from smoking so much. And she still went out for all her smoke breaks.

"Well, I hope this cheers you up," Layla said holding up a bag. "I brought home some dinner." Gregor was instantly happy. The bad day had just gotten so much better. He was starving and Layla always brought home good stuff. It helped she worked in the kitchen at a pretty nice restaurant just ten blocks down the road from the apartment. Usually she brought home everything Gregor needed to eat healthy and maintain his strength for training. And when she did, he didn't have to worry about cooking which always helped him out.

"You. Are. Amazing," said Gregor, following each word with a kiss. "I'll just pop in the shower and get dressed and then we can eat. Okay?'

"Of course, Greggie. Just don't take too long," said Layla kissing him one last time before heading into the kitchen. Gregor only allowed her to call him anything but Gregor. It made her happy, so it made him happy. Picking up some clean clothes Gregor slid into the bathroom and cranked up the shower. The pipes creaked as the water worked its way to the showerhead. It was freezing to the touch but that was expected. It always took a second or forty for the hot water to get up to his apartment, but when it did Gregor was at peace. He scrubbed all the foul smells from himself. Sweat and grime came away in the torrent of water. It felt better than Gregor had expected.

The smell of the apartment was great when he climbed out of the shower. He walked out of his room in a tight v-neck and lounge pants, a small towel in his hands as he dried out his ears. Layla was setting out dishes on the table in the kitchen when Gregor walked in. She smiled at him with the same smile that had caught his attention the first time they met. It had been a sunny day and Gregor had been looking for a job. He was going all over town and had just walked into the same corner store where he currently worked. He asked if there were any job openings like he had so many times that day already and to his luck they were looking for someone like him. When the manager walked away to get something that was when Gregor saw her. Or more like heard her. Layla had been in there and she was struggling to grab something from one of the top shelves. Gregor being the nice guy went and asked if she needed help. And she gave him the same smile. It was chemistry from then on. It took a year of friendship, but Gregor finally asked her out and here they were two years later, both at the ripe old age of twenty-one.

The food was hot as Gregor pulled it from the oven. He was still smiling from his memories and Layla raised an eyebrow at him. "What's with the smile?"

"Just remembering," Gregor replied, putting the food on the table. He poured them each a glass of red wine and they sat.

"Remembering what?" Layla shot back playfully a minute later. She grabbed her wine glass and took a sip looking at Gregor through it. He was eating his grilled chicken and could only smile through his mouthful. He swallowed and took a sip of his wine before he answered.

"The first time we met. You remember how it was? You couldn't get something down from the top shelf of the corner store and I came and helped like a knight in shining armor," Gregor was joking, and he got a laugh out of Layla for it.

"Oh yes, my knight in shining armor swept me and my cooler off my feet." Gregor laughed. That was why he loved Layla. She could make him laugh any moment. It was something he hadn't had in his life for a long time. When his sister was little she would make him laugh all the time, but as she got older he laughed less and less and eventually he stopped laughing. Until he met Layla.

The rest of dinner was uneventful much like it was before. They talked mostly about Gregor. But most of all they talked about his training. Gregor had been going to the gym for months with his trainer and best friend, Bo Reilly. Gregor met Bo in high school at a party. One of the first parties Gregor had gone to when he started his out of control faze. Bo basically saved his life and for a long time Gregor hated him for it. Bo had taken Gregor and forced him out of the party and drove him home. The thing was Gregor was drunk out of his mind. But he didn't want to stop drinking. Bo had realized it and was probably the reason Gregor was still here. It took time but Gregor eventually bonded with Bo and their friendship grew. Now Bo was training Gregor in Mixed Martial Arts. Or at least the physical training part of it. Gregor did everything Bo said when it came to training. Bo had been an all-state wrestler in high school and wrestled in college as well and he had a degree in health and fitness.

It was all for the best, Gregor knew. If he could make it in the MMA scene he could become something more than a corner store clerk. It was his only shot really. He would actually be able to provide for himself and Layla when the time came. He knew he was going to propose to her, but when that was going to be he didn't know. That was his dream. Him and Layla in a house of their own, him able to support her and the family they would start. But for now that was all just a dream. He had to put in the work to get there and he knew he could do it. It was a major struggle at the moment, though, to even make ends meet.

He looked over at his beautiful girlfriend as she sat on the couch reading from her favorite book. Her blonde hair shined like silk in the lamplight and her petite frame seemed tiny against the couch. She was barely over five feet tall and she weighed not much more than a hundred pounds. Her eyes were what drew Gregor to her. They were a grey blue and always held a mystery in them.

Layla turned her head to look at him with those very eyes, sensing him staring at her. She patted the couch next to her asking Gregor to come be with her. He shook his head, but walked over to her. He kissed her on the ear and ran his hand through her hair.

"I'm gonna go downstairs for a bit. Clear my head and everything," whispered Gregor. Layla sighed and nodded in understanding. It wasn't the first time and it wasn't the last that Gregor would do it. Gregor himself hated to leave her, but he needed to be alone for a little bit. It was always like that. His mind would cloud up with so many things that he had to get away. And he had found a place to do it.

Gregor had asked the owner of the apartment if he could use the unused basement for his own uses, including playing his drums, which he was allowed to for only a bit more on his rent. Gregor had fixed the basement up pretty good with some couches and a rug, along with his full drum kit. Music meant everything to Gregor and it seemed to run through him. It was part of him that he had to have to dunction. He had played the saxophone for years, but he abandoned it in favor of the drums. Drumming was part of his soul. His release from the world. He put his aggression into the drums. And it all came from his favorite music: Metal.

Gregor had become a fan of all kinds of metal music his junior year of high school. It was one of those things that helped him during his ever increasing split from his family. His parents were unable to control him no matter how hard they tried and he didn't want to be controlled no matter how much he loved his family. He had pushed them away and they returned the favor. But music, metal, was his guiding force then and it still was. He was able to be himself when he was alone with the music.

He pulled his phone out and docked it onto the speaker and grabbed the remote. The music came on and Gregor felt at home. His drum sticks were in his hands and he spun them between his fingers expertly. The heavy beat of his favorite song blared out and he took in the drums. Each note was bliss to Gregor as he listened to the bass and the blast beats that came. It was an aggressive song, but he felt at home with it. Hammer Smashed Face. Cannibal Corpse. It was a gnarly song, disturbing to a lot of people, but he felt in sync with the violent lyrics. They resonated with his past experiences.

There's something inside me

It's, it's coming out

I feel like killing you

Let loose of the anger, held back too long

My blood runs cold

Those words always brought him back to the underland if he sat and listened. They described him so perfectly. His rager side that he had fought to control, and had conquered. The pain he had caused his friends and himself before he overcame the force within him. It all came back. The pain of the thoughts brought Gregor's gaze to the shelves he had put in. A box rested on top. And in the box was his bong. Yes, Gregor smoked Marijuana. But it was for moments like this. When he thought of the underland his mind raced. He didn't want to remember. He had put them aside long ago, to focus on his life. His life above ground.

Gregor stood and quickly pulled out the bong and his small supply of weed. It was a small one and bright green, but he needed it. He lit up and inhaled. Euphoria spread through his body as he breathed out the smoke. Another hit and he was forgetting all the bad memories he had. This was what Gregor's life had become. A struggle every day to live a normal life. He worked, he trained, he loved, and he fought himself. Demons he never realized he had poked their horned heads up every day, giving him something new to battle with. He fought his memories all the time. And he had to resort to methods that he never thought he would to fight them. He cast a sidelong glance at his drums. "Not today," Gregor thought taking one last hit from his bong.

He stored it away and slipped back onto the couch changing the song. He sat like that for a bit, just letting the guttural lyrics flow to his ears, taking in every word of pain and wisdom that it gave to him. It made him feel safe oddly enough. It gave him the strength to continue. He escaped from his own life for just a small amount of time, but it was worth it.

When he returned to his apartment, it was dark and quiet. Layla was not on the couch anymore. Gregor clicked softly and the room showed to him. It was the one thing he kept from the underland because it was badass. Echolocation was perfect for stuff like this. No lights needed and no chance to wake up Layla if she were asleep. He tip toed into the bedroom and saw a huddled mass in bed. Layla's chest rose and fell with each breath; she looked so peaceful.

He pulled his shirt and pants off and climbed into bed. He laid his head back and relaxed for a second. The ceiling was always intriguing to him when he lay awake at night, even though it looked exactly the same. Sleep rarely came fast to Gregor. He was usually too amped and on edge. Movement next to him told him Layla was awake.

"Gregor," she muttered through sleep. "You okay?"

"I'm fine Lay. Go back to sleep. I love you," Gregor said lovingly putting out his arm asking her to come to him.

"I love you too," Layla mumbled as she scooted over to him and draped her arm over his chest and he pulled her into him. That was how he fell asleep with the love of his life next to him.

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 **Exposition is done. A different Gregor with a new life. Everything will start to make sense soon guys, so hold on to your boots and come back when I post up chapter 2 in a few days. I'm also going to post questions at the end of come chapters so I can get some specific feedback from you guys. Anyone who has read my previous fics know I love feedback and reviews are always welcome no matter what you have to say. If you want to tear this apart do it and I'll come back and put it back together better than it was before.**

 **Question: What do you all think of Gregor's life? Is it a good different take on Gregor?**

 **Thanks again guys. Have a wonderful day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys. This is slowly becoming my favorite of everything I've written. It's so different that I feel like i have a lot of liberties with it and I can change some stuff. Thanks to haha77 and Vengeous for the reviews. Means a lot to me to see people that are liking something that is really new and unique. Hope you all enjoy.**

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 **2**

It was dark. The darkness compressed him, but it also flowed around him like pitch. His hands waved in front of his face and he couldn't see them. He struggled against the bonds of the darkness, making any noise he could so he could see. Nothing worked. His echolocation was gone. He could feel his palms grow sweaty and then he realized there was a sword in his hands. A wide blade, about an inch wide, and heavy, made for piercing and cutting flesh. The weight felt familiar but odd like he had at one point loved the feeling. He cast his eyes towards it through the blackness and he saw the shine of jewels that encrusted the hilt. Red and green they shone back at him, dazzling his eyes with their brightness. It was like a trance, his eyes glued unwavering to them, unable to look away.

"Overlander," something snarled at him from deep in the darkness. The voice echoed and bounced off the walls that hid deep in the black. He wrenched his eyes from the jewels and brought the sword up to a defensive position. All around he heard noises. Rocks crunched underfoot as he shifted his weight. Movement from every direction. And then it all became clear.

A fire roared up behind him and everything was lit up. He inhaled sharply at the sight. All around him in every direction stood a rat. Not the ones you would see in the crappy apartments of New York. No, these were huge eight foot monstrosities. Saliva dripped from massive incisors, the fire reflected in the dark eyes of every rat. Tails swung back and forth, entrancing him in the movement. He could hear jeers and laughter from the ranks of the rats, all of them directed at him, but the words he couldn't make out.

Suddenly the ranks parted and a roar came from beyond the fire light. The overlander held his ground, not flinching at the sound. The ground shook as whatever it was came charging towards him. His heart sped up and he braced his legs. The beast came forth, coat reflecting pink in the light. Froth streamed from his mouth, his tail gnawed bloody on the end slamming into the ground.

"Hello old friend," the monster said as menacingly as he could. The overlander didn't reply. He couldn't. The gnawer glared at him and charged. The warrior stepped to the side just in time to block the claws that swept down towards his face. With speed and agility, he blocked and countered the monster for what felt like hours.

He got behind the beast and was prepared to attack, when out of nowhere the tail came. It slammed into his left, the pain excruciating as the air left his lungs. He felt himself fly through the air and slam into the hard, stone floor. His vision blurred, but he still had fight in him. He clambered to his feet, the ache in his back unbearable, but it was fight or die. The beast came at him again and this time the overlander struck. He stepped towards his adversary, surprising the monster. Between the legs he stepped, his sword flashing in an arc. A cry of pain filled the cavern, so loud that hanging boulder fell from the ceiling, raining rock onto the battlefield. The overlander didn't stop. He took his chance and pierced his sword into the flesh between the beast's hind leg and it's body. The blood poured from the pierced artery like a flood of red. The pain spun the beast around and its eyes shone with bloodlust. A viscous howl left its mouth and it charged low.

Its paw whipped out at the same time the warrior drove the sword forward. They met at the same time. The sword pierced the massive heart inside the beast's chest. The claws ripped into the chest of the warrior, knocking him away. He sprawled on the ground, his blood pooling with the other blood that was there already. It was time to go. He felt the darkness returning, but there was something there now. A purple he hadn't seen was in front of his eyes. "Gregor, Gregor, Gregor," a voice said fading away. And then it touched his chest.

Gregor shot upright like a bullet from a gun. His heart was beating a brutal rhythm in his chest and his hand fell onto the five terrible scars that crossed his chest. His breathing was rapid and shallow and he could feel the cold sweat that covered his body. It was a familiar sensation. A familiar dream. "I haven't had that dream in years," Gregor thought as he took a deep breath and tried to bring himself back to normal.

His eyes looked around the room and he noticed Layla sitting next to him, concern etched on her face. He saw the look in her eyes and she quietly opened her arms to him. He let her wrap him up in her arms, much like his mom used to want to when she found Gregor after his dreams. Then he had pushed her away, not wanting to show that he needed help. Now, though, he welcomed it. The fact that he had seen what he saw for the first time in five years scared him. He couldn't deal with it. He didn't want to deal with it. Not again.

"Gregor," Layla started, her hand rubbing Gregor's back the whole time. "Are you okay?" Gregor nodded his head, but there was no conviction to it. And he knew Layla knew it. "You were thrashing around and moaning. I couldn't wake you up until I touched your chest. Right here." She placed her hand right on the scars that crossed his chest. In the same spot that Gregor had put his hand when he woke up. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Gregor sat in silence for a second, his head full of too many thoughts to count. "No. It was just a dream," he said finally. His eyes caught the clock. It was 5:30, only an hour before he needed to get up. He started to get out of bed when he felt a hand wrap around his arm. He looked back at Layla.

"It wasn't just a dream, Greggie. This wasn't something normal. And you need to talk about it or it will happen again." Gregor let out a sigh and pulled his legs back onto the bed. Leaning back against the headboard, he patted next to him and Layla slid right to his body. He sat silent, thinking of what to say.

"It was a dream I used to have when I was younger. Before I started doing all the things I regret. Before I started drinking and partying. The alcohol stopped it from happening. It went from every night to never, just like that," he snapped his fingers together to show how fast it happened. "It wasn't the alcohol that stopped it though. It was the mindset. I changed my mindset and forgot everything that was causing it."

"Does it have to do with the scar on your chest?" asked Layla carefully. His scars were something Gregor never liked to talk about, something he had told Layla the first time she asked. It was a subject that was almost taboo in their relationship. He looked at all the white spots, that shined in the limited light of the room. The ones that crisscrossed his arms from the vines in the jungle were the most faded, barely noticeable. But the deep cuts on his legs from the cutters were still there. The scar that ran down his calf was still there. The five claw marks on his chest would always be there. and then there was the three inch scars on both his stomach and his back, in almost the exact same spot. That one wasn't from the underland. That one hurt the most.

Gregor answered Layla's question with a nod. There was no point denying the truth. His dream was all about the scar, the pain it had caused him mentally and emotionally. The fear it had brought him.

"Will you tell me how you got it? Maybe I can help if I know." Layla was trying, Gregor knew that. She wanted to help him. She loved him and he knew she could tell he was hurting. But how could he explain to her that he got the scars from a twelve foot rat that he was destined to kill and in the process lost one of his best friends. It would hurt to much to put into words, let alone the fact that she would think he was mental and want proof. Proof he couldn't provide because he wasn't going back, no matter what.

"I can't," was all Gregor could say. He could see Layla analyzing him, studying him. And her face showed disappointment and above all else a bit of anger.

"Can you tell me about any of these?" asked Layla exuberantly, her hand gesturing to all the other scars on his body. He wanted to say no, that it was all too painful to talk about. But there was stuff she would find out eventually and it was better if she heard it from him and not from someone else. Gregor took a deep breath. It calmed him down just enough.

"Layla, you know I had a hard life. I made it hard on myself and my family. You didn't know me then, but I told you about it. I told you how I drank heavily and I did drugs and I did things I didn't think I would. I was a mess. And it all came back to me and almost killed me." Gregor's eyes were wet from the memory. His hand was on the scar on his stomach. His free hand snaked into Layla's. "It was a late one day. I had had a friend of mine over to do a science project. His name was Larry and I had known him forever. We were still friends somehow even with me drinking and partying all the time. He was an artist and didn't have all that many friends. I was one of those few. But I had been drinking that day and I had to drive him home because he didn't have money for a taxi. My family had one car and I took it, thinking nothing would happen. There was never a lot of traffic, so I sped along not a care in the world. Larry had asked me to slow down, but I didn't listen. I hit a pothole, but I tried to swerve around it at the last second. The car flipped, and I blacked out. When I woke up, there was a fire on the road from some of the spilled fuel. Larry was dead. I could see he wasn't breathing. He broke his neck and died instantly."

Gregor had to stop. His heart was aching and tears were running from his eyes. The images flowed freely past his eyes. Every single thing had been his fault and he still felt sorry about it. So sorry. He had to finish though.

"I was pinned stuck and I had thought it was my seat belt. So I managed to disengage the belt and it came off. But I was still stuck. And that's when I had felt the pain. A piece of metal had impaled me through the back and stomach and I was stuck. Somehow, I pulled myself from the car and I pulled it out. I was lucky it didn't hit anything important. They never found out I had been drinking. I lost too much blood for them to tell. The accident was blamed on the pothole and my error. I still can't look at his parents. I can't go to his grave. It haunts me still. And it will til I die. But it did change me. I stopped drinking uncontrollably. I stopped partying. I stopped doing drugs. I tried to focus on school. The rest is history."

Layla didn't say a word the whole time he was talking. He could see that even she had tears in her eyes. He pulled her into his arms and the two sat in embrace holding each other. He was trying to stay strong in the face of the pain that was surging through his shattered heart. It would never be easy to talk about and he would never be able to forgive himself, but he had gotten past it. He had become a better person and he was here because of that.

He looked at the clock again. 6:00 on the dot. With a sniffle he wiped away the remnants of the tears that had graced his eyes. His eyes locked with Layla and saw that she still was crying. He gently brought his thumb up and wiped away the tears. He kept his gaze on hers.

"Hey, Lay, it's okay. It's the past and I'm still okay. I'm here for you. Always. Forever." Layla sniffled a little and wiped her own hands across her eyes, taking away whatever tears were still there.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she asked Gregor, her voice strained from the crying.

"I couldn't. I guess I feared you would hate me for it like some people do. And I couldn't risk that."

"Oh, Greggie. I could never hate you. You're too sweet to hate." She leaned up and kissed him. The tearful morning was over and it was back to normal. Back to their regular routine.

"Let's go grab some breakfast. Busy day for both of us today," Gregor said sliding out of bed and stretching out his stiff arms and legs. With a shake of his arms and a crack of his neck, Gregor was set and he walked out of the bedroom in only his boxers. He grabbed the coffee and set the maker going. The smell of fresh coffee soon filled the apartment, and he could feel his body anticipating the caffeine.

Layla walked into the kitchen in a large flannel that was Gregor's. She tossed him something which he realized were pants. His eyes asked her what they were for. "Nobody wants to see those boxers," she answered with a laugh. Gregor looked at them. He had them for a year, but they were his favorites.

"What's wrong with these?" asked Gregor back. Layla raised her eyebrows and grabbed the material.

"They have cats on them." That was it for the conversation. Nothing left to say. He pulled the pants on and grabbed to coffee mugs from the cabinet and poured them full of the bitter, dark liquid. He drank his black, but gave the cream to Layla for hers. The bitterness started his body into motion and the caffeine brought him to attention. Soon eggs were cooking on the stove along with bacon and pancakes. It was that kind of morning. He was in the mood for a big breakfast and he knew Layla wouldn't object.

"Hey, Gregor. Look at this," said Layla as she walked back into the kitchen, the day's New York Daily Post in her hands. She was pointing to a story on the front page, right next to the article about the Yankees seventeenth inning win. He grabbed the paper from her outstretched hand and read the bolded words. **Local Store Robberies Continue**. His eyes look up at her. She had been worried about it for weeks. Local stores were being robbed almost daily, and she was scared his would be next.

"Layla, I don't think anythings gonna happen. This punk can try to rob the store, but I don't plan on letting him. If he wants the money he'll have to get it from me and that's not easy to do unarmed." Gregor was certain he could stop the guy. He had never robbed a store with a gun or a knife or any weapon at all. He just used scare tactics and threatened he had a gun, but they never saw one.

"Gregor, he is armed. It says so here."

"Huh?" Gregor muttered back from the stove. That was something new.

"Yea, it says he drew a gun when the guy behind the counter wouldn't give him the money. Please, be careful and if he ever come to the store just do what he wants. Don't be a hero, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am. No hero for me," Gregor said. "I could take him though," he added under his breath as he pulled the eggs off the stove and onto two plates. The bacon came off next and the pancakes topped everything off. He set the plates on the table and set to work on his cooking.

An hour later he was walking out the front door of his apartment, his uniform on and his duffel bag over his shoulder. Layla gave him a quick peck and then she closed the door behind him. He set off down the stairs and through the doors onto the street. It was catching up on 7:30, but he had plenty of time to get to work. Being early was always better than being late and usually that got him on Courtney's good side. He walked down the mostly empty streets. It may have been empty here, but he knew that it would be bustling in Manhattan and traffic would be killer almost everywhere. Even here the cars sped by with more and more frequency.

He walked past his gym, the doors still closed for the day. There would be a busy day in there that afternoon, working on his striking out of grapples. Lots of work, but not nearly as bad as the day before. At least there was a smaller chance he would catch another cross to the jaw. The entrance to the store was only two blocks away when he saw something odd. The lights were already on.

His feet struck the cement with more urgency as he almost sprinted to the entrance. The open sign hung in the window and the door was unlocked. Half an hour early. He shouldered the door open his ears alert to any noises. His hands were bunched into fists and he was ready for anything.

"Courtney. Are you here?" Gregor cried into the store. A frenzy of movement came from the back of the store and then a head popped out from an aisle. The red hair was frizzy from the humidity and her small glasses rested on her nose. It was a sight Gregor was used to.

"Who else would be here? Definitely not Becky," Courtney laughed a wheezy laugh at her joke. The laugh reminded him of Becky though due to her smoking. She never came in before nine and usually that was pushing early for her. He didn't expect to see her until at least eleven.

"What are you here so early for?" Gregor shot at his manager.

"I should probably ask you the same thing, but I won't. I opened early because the owner is coming by today and I wanted everything in the best shape it can for when he comes by." Gregor understood. He had met the owner once, a well off black man who owned many of the other local establishments in the area. Mr. Kauffman was his name and he had been nice enough. Grateful for having such a nice young man working in his store. That is what he had told him anyway. Courtney later told him that he said that to all his employees. Gregor wasn't necessarily happy that he was coming by, but it was a necessary evil. "Maybe he'll miss my shift," thought Gregor as he placed his stuff in the back room. There would be plenty of stuff for him to do so he might as well get on with it.

"What do you got for me to do?" Gregor asked through the door. Courtney's head popped out of nowhere a few moments later. This time her glasses were skewed on her face and she had a box in her hands.

"You can start by taking this box from me," she said dropping the box into Gregor's arms. "Anyway, I need you to organize all the boxes in the back and get the organized and when that's done clean up the bathroom." Gregor had nothing to argue. That is how far he had gone. His dignity lost cleaning a toilet in a corner store where he knew more than enough people had used it. He would take as much time as he could on the boxes, that was for sure.

It was an hour later and he was still shifting boxes. Sweat soaked his shirt as he lifted another box and placed it on the top of the pile. For a small corner store there was a lot of stock in the back and some of it was really heavy. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and grabbed the last box. It slid nicely onto the top of the stack. That was it then. The bell above the entrance quietly rang and he came out of the back to see who was there. From behind the counter he couldn't see anyone in the store. He stood there waiting like normal for whoever it was to come and pay.

"Gregor, why aren't you cleaning the bathroom?" came Courtney's shout from the back room.

"We have a customer, Courtney, and I know how much you hate running the register," he retorted to his manager.

"Fine, I'll clean the bathroom, but I'll remember this and next time I'll make sure this bathroom is putrid before I let you clean it." Gregor swallowed hard knowing Courtney meant it. She hated doing anything but bossing people around.

"So, Gregor, slacking on the job are you?" Gregor spun around to see a black man, slightly shorter than him standing in front of the counter. And he smiled.

"Bo, what are you doing here?"

"Oh you know, buying things. This is a store isn't it?" Bo answered, placing a couple bottles of Gatorade on the counter along with a six pack of beer. Gregor raised his eyebrow at the beer as he punched in all the prices.

"Ten fifty-four," Gregor said as Bo scrounged his pocket for the change he had in there. "What's with the beer? Didn't think you drank."

"I usually don't, but I'm gonna today. Layla told me about your talk this morning and she wants me to make sure you're okay. So we're gonna have some beers later at my place and we'll sort this out." Bo said as he finally found the change he needed and slammed it down along with a ten dollar bill.

"Of course she would tell you about that. I'm not sure there's too much for us to talk about," Gregor said finally after a couple of minutes. Bo came around the corner and sat down on a stool. Gregor turned and leaned against the counter to look at his friend.

"That's your problem, Gregor. You don't want to open up. We just want to help you. And we can't do that if you won't let us. We're just gonna talk about whatever it is that you feel comfortable with. I'm cutting training short today too so we can. And that means you better tell me something good or I'll make tomorrow's twice as hard." There was a muted curse from behind the door to the back room and then Courtney burst out.

"I am never doing that again," she said under her breath. "Who are you talking to?"

"Uhh, Bo is here," Gregor said tentatively to his manager. Courtney instantly perked up and Gregor had to restrain himself from laughing. He knew Courtney had a thing for Bo and it was funny.

"Oh, Bo, I didn't see you there. What brings you here so early?"

"I needed to talk to this guy about training later," Bo said. He was like Gregor and didn't care for Courtney that much. It was her attitude not her looks for him. Courtney was staring at him and it was starting to get kinda creepy.

"Well, umm, Gregor, I'll see you later. Remember drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. Busy day today," Bo said clapping Gregor on the back as he went. He was almost to the door when it burst open. Bo fell back in surprise, dropping the the six pack to the ground. The bottles shattered leaving broken glass and beer all over the floor.

"Hey, man watch-"

"Shut it!" the man walking through the door yelled at him. He was a big man, easily six and a half feet tall. He was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, obscuring everything but his mouth and chin. With two big strides he was standing in front of the counter, his hand inside his jacket clenching something.

"Empty the register!" he shouted at Gregor. Gregor remained calm realizing the store was being robbed. He opened the register and pulled some money out.

"Umm, I don't have a bag to put it in," Gregor said quietly, his eyes looking past the man and at Bo as his friend stood up and started to move towards the man. It was time to stall.

"I don't have time for this! Find a bag!" the robber yelled, the hand in his jacket clamping down tighter on whatever he was holding. Gregor looked around and saw Courtney standing behind him in shock.

"Courtney get my duffel bag from the back. Now!" Gregor had to shout the last word to get Courtney to move. She dashed into the back and quickly returned with Gregor's duffel. She opened it and dumped its contents out. Gregor started to casally load money into the bag.

"Faster!" the man yelled and he pulled a gun from in his jacket. It was a revolver and he thumbed the hammer back, shoving the barrel in Gregor's direction, only a foot from his face. He didn't speed up, but kept calmly stuffing money into the bag until it was full. He zipped it up and stared the robber in the eyes.

"Here's your money, sir. Have a nice day," Gregor loaded the sarcasm into his words. words he said to every customer at the store. He felt the man hold his stare before he turned. As he turned Bo sprang at him. The former wrestler grabbed the man's arm and pulled the money bag away from him. It went flying across the floor. And then it was a scuffle. Gregor watched as Bo grabbed the much bigger man in a headlock, trying to drag him to the ground. But he fought back.

Bo went rocking around the man's body, losing his grip. He skidded away and then the gun was only inches from his face. Gregor watched it in slow motion. The robber tightened his finger on the trigger. The noise filled the small store as the bullet erupted from the end of the barrel propelled by superheated gas. The bullet moved the few inches in no time and struck. Bo went reeling, blood spurting from both sides of his head. His brains splattered on the floor. Gregor screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" And then his vision blurred. Red was the only color he saw. He felt himself vault over the counter and he heard crying from behind him. The robber was right in front of him as he jumped. He felt his fist make contact with the man's chin and then everything went black.

Everything came back to him really fast. All of his senses were assaulted from every direction. The coppery smell of blood filled his nose, the stickiness on his hands and his clothes, the sound of sirens and crying, the taste of sweat and blood in his mouth. And of course what he saw. Bo was sprawled on the ground, his body limp and his blood pooled underneath him. Gregor slumped by his side, the liveliness gone from his eyes. Gregor slid his eyes shut, realizing his hands were covered in blood. And then he felt the pain. His knuckles were bruised and some of them were bleeding.

His eyes left Bo's body and looked around the store. Courtney was huddled behind the counter and he could see she was disheveled, her makeup running down her face from her tears. But it was what she was looking at that scared Gregor. The robber was lying lifeless in a massive pool of blood. His face was a mess bashed and crushed, brain matter oozing from the wounds. His chest looked like it had been crushed in with a hammer, it was that depressed. And blood was still oozing from the wound on his chest. Gregor looked for the gun that had shot Bo. And he saw it lying to the side, the handles covered in blood. Gregor stood on wobbly legs and he vomited.

He heaved and heaved all over the floor. He hadn't seen something this bad in a long time. This was like a maniac had attacked the man, and he couldn't figure out who did it. And then he started to see it piece by piece. His fists battering the man over and over. Taking the gun in his hand and slamming it into the man's head, his knee crushing the ribs under it. His head couldn't take it. The cops slammed the door open, gun drawn right as Gregor hit the floor, consciousness leaving him.

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 **Really made this chapter very focused. That was my goal and I think I made it work well. Leave a review and tell me what you think and like about the story so far and this chapter specifically. I'm trying to give the story a dark side. More gruesome and stuff.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys. I'm glad I'm getting some feedback from this story. Not as much as I would like, but anything is good. This was a tough chapter to write, because I want to get to the underland so bad, but I have to get everything set up first. So we have this chapter. It's a little all over the place, but I think I got it good. Please read and enjoy.**

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 **3**

The light was so bright it hurt. He quickly closed his eyes again to ease the pain. Gregor cracked them open again, putting his hand above them to block the light. He saw the bandages that wrapped around his knuckles. He felt tightness up his arm and he turned his head to look. A wound was stitched shut on his bicep; it was something he hadn't even realized was there. Ignoring his injuries for a moment, he looked around where he was letting his senses come back to him. The flashing red and blue from police cars was reflected off the building as the sun was still barely cresting over the buildings of the neighborhood. He could smell the cleanliness of where he was, all the chemicals that sterilized it. There were people talking all around him. But one stood out from the rest. Layla's voice was clear amongst the rumbles, the worry evident in her erratic speech.

"Where is he?" Gregor could hear Layla say. He had to get up and get to her. He had to let her know he was okay. He pushed himself up, gritting his teeth against the pain in his hands. He climbed down from the gurney he was laying on and he suddenly felt his head spin. His legs felt weak and he had to reach out to steady himself. He gasped as his hand clasped down on the gurney rail. The pain was worse than he thought it would be, but he persevered and got his balance back. Suddenly, the taste of stomach acid filled his mouth and his throat, but he swallowed it down. A few shaky steps took him to the open doors of the vehicle he was in. His eyes scanned the crowd that had formed outside the police line. There were cops holding people back and he saw one retaining a feisty blonde. His first reaction was to yell out to the cop and his love, but he didn't trust himself to open his mouth, afraid he would vomit instead of speak.

His feet contacted the asphalt and he walked barefoot towards the police line. The cop was still trying to calm Layla down Gregor could tell, but he couldn't hear his words. He could still hear Layla's incessant screams as she begged the cop to take her to Gregor. He had never seen her like this. She had never lost her cool, never been anything but the calm voice of reason. But there she was, obviously not calm and clearly losing her cool. He was ten steps from the cop when she saw him.

"Gregor!" she cried, pushing the cop away and running to him. He could see the tears that streamed down her cheeks from her red, puffy eyes. He opened his arms and caught his girlfriend as she ran into them. She shoved her head into his chest ignoring the blood stains that covered his shirt. Instinctively, his hands rubbed her back, trying to bring her back to her calm self. It was hard for him to see people he loved cry and be upset. It had been that way for years, ever since his father had vanished and his mom had cried for days.

"Shhhhh," Gregor whispered into Layla's ear, pulling her tighter to him. "Everything is okay, baby. I'm here now." He could feel Layla starting to calm down in his arms. She was the most important thing to him no matter what. He would give an arm and a leg if it meant she was happy and safe.

"Gregor, I was so worried," Layla finally said, her head still pressed against Gregor's chest. "They wouldn't tell me what happened, and if you were okay. I was so scared." He could hear her voice shaking with the words and the strain her nerves had taken. She started to shake.

"Come on, Lay. Let's go sit down somewhere. You've had a rough morning," Gregor said fully knowing what she was going through. She needed to sit down and get off her feet even for just a few minutes.

"No, Gregor. I want to go home. Both of us." She stepped away from him her eyes set hard with determination, her mouth poised to say something else.

"I can't yet, Layla. I'm sure the officers need to talk to me first, get a statement or whatever. Just come sit down for a second and I'll go see what when we can go. Please," Gregor was calm and contained, trying to keep Layla from exploding again. And her hard facade crumbled. Gregor reached a hand out to her and she took it. He winced at the contact, but kept his face hidden so Layla couldn't see. He didn't need her to see that he was hurt bad at the moment. He lead her back to the ambulance where he sat her down on the bumper and took a seat next to her, never letting go of her hand.

"They couldn't tell me what happened inside. All they told me was that there was a gunshot and that was all they were allowed to tell. What happened, Greggie?" He looked at her and then at his wrapped hands. He didn't want to tell her. There was no way she would understand, but she deserved to know and it was better she heard it from him before she heard it from the media.

"It was pretty terrible in there," Gregor started trying to figure out the best way to tell her without giving away all the gorey details. "Somebody came in and tried to rob the store. He pulled a gun on all of us: me, Bo, and Courtney." Layla let out a small yelp when Gregor said Bo's name. Gregor's throat was getting tight as he thought of the events and saw them vividly in his mind. "Bo tried to stop him after I gave him the money and he got shot. Right in the head. He was dead before he hit the ground. I… well umm… I lost my mind a bit. I attacked the robber because he still had the gun. He died as well," Gregor finished bowing his head in shame. Shame for his actions and shame for not telling the whole truth. He knew he had killed the man because Bo died. And he knew he had let his rager side take him over completely. But he couldn't tell Layla what he did. There was no way he would ever let her in on that part of his life. He didn't want any part of it either.

"You killed a man?" asked a shocked Layla. Her eyes were locked on his and all Gregor could do was nod. She turned away from him and looked like she wanted to vomit. Like she was repulsed with him. But she turned back to him and wrapped him in a hug, her small but strong arms holding him reassuringly. "You must feel terrible."

To be honest, he didn't. Gregor had killed so many things before that the death of one man hardly fazed him. Yea, he had lost his breakfast when he saw what he did, but that was more shock than regret. He was made to kill. It was in his blood, part of him that could never go away. He had hid it, kept it down deep inside him, but it came loose worse than it ever had before. Never had he become so savage and brutal. His first time raging he couldn't remember what happened and vomited, much like what happened today, but he was only swatting blood balls then. Here he annihilated a man. It just wasn't right.

An officer came over to them, snapping Gregor from his thoughts. He asked Gregor to give a statement about what happened so they could piece together exactly what happened inside. As Gregor was telling the officer what happened, he noticed the officer's eyes constantly looking at his bandaged hands. His statement given, Gregor wanted to leave, get out of the area and home so he could think. But the officer had some more questions for him.

"So how did you hurt your hands, son?" the officer asked him.

"I would assume they got hurt from fighting the robber,sir," Gregor replied, his eyes locking with the officers. The two men stared each other down, Gregor's eyes never wavering. The officer broke his gaze from Gregor's first, averting his eyes from the vicious stare Gregor was holding.

"You only assume you hurt them that way? That could only be a yes or no answer," the officer retorted.

"Yea. I blacked-out and I can't remember what went down exactly. Now is that all officer?" Gregor was getting angry with the officer. If he wanted to interrogate him then they should do it at the police station and not right in front of Layla. He watched the officer look him over again and he could see the slight hesitation in the officer.

"Yea, that's all I got. Go home and we will contact you if there is anything else we need from you." The officer turned and walked away, but he looked back over his shoulder at Gregor, who still stood watching the officer walk away.

"C'mon Layla. Let's get out of here," he said to his girlfriend, holding his hand out to her. Her fingers intertwined with his and he walked them out of the cordoned off area. They passed neighbors and people that lived around them as they walked towards their apartment. Questions were thrown at them from every direction, but Gregor ignored them and marched on. He didn't want any part of answering questions.

"Gregor, stop!" Layla said, almost shouting. They were only a block from their apartment, but he stopped. Layla rarely raised her voice at him, rarely got angry with him and he was surprised. "What is wrong with you? Those people just wanted to know if you were okay. Gregor, you walked right past Bo's parents and didn't even react. That's not what the Gregor I love would do."

She was right. He wasn't acting at all like his normal self. And he knew it. "How can I act like myself when I just killed a man?" Gregor thought. "But I never acted differently before when I killed anything. I've always had a reason." Maybe this time there wasn't a reason. He had lost himself and killed without reason. Or maybe because it was another person he had taken the life from. He had never killed another human being with his own hands. Henry had died because of him, but that wasn't his fault at all.

"Layla, I'm sorry," Gregor finally said. "My mind is so full of things right now that I don't know what I'm doing."

"Gregor, you need someone to talk to. someone who has helped you before. A counselor, a friend, your parents. Anything to help you. Please, I can't stand seeing you like this."

"You're right, Layla. I'll clean up and go talk this through with someone," Gregor said as he let go of his girlfriend's hand. The only problem was there really wasn't anyone to talk to. At least not anyone on the surface. He needed to talk to Ripred or Mareth or Vikus. One of them would be the only people to help him. But he didn't want to think about them. He was trying to forget that part of his life, not bring it back to the forefront. He wanted to move on. But maybe he never could. Maybe it would always be a part of him and he could never leave it behind. And the events of the morning were only making that the biggest possibility. His parents were his only shot.

He hadn't seen his parents in three years. Not since he moved out after his high school graduation. There had always a heavy feeling of tension in the air when he was around his parents like they were ready to explode at him at any moment and when he left he had done it so everyone else could live a happier life. But he was going to come back and try to talk to them about something they had hated and wanted no part of. The underland was only the beginning of his family issues. His lifestyle had driven the wedge between him and his family and he was afraid on how they would react. They didn't even know how he had changed. they didn't know he had a girlfriend, let alone that he was thinking about asking her to marry him.

The door slammed shut and the yellow cab zoomed off down the street. The apartment building he had dreaded for so many years stood in front of him. The late morning light fell on the old playground nearby and the slight breeze had swings groaning against their chains. His eyes looked up to the window he knew belonged to his old apartment. He had gazed out that window many times before and after his adventures in the underland.

The lobby looked the same, the paint still peeling on the walls. And of course the elevator didn't work. He climbed the flights of stairs slowly making his way up to the floor he knew so well. He was tempted to visit Mrs. Cormaci who he believed still lived just down the hall. Even in his hard times she was there if he needed someone to talk to. She understood he was struggling. His parents hadn't.

He stood just outside the familiar door. A door he had looked at for 18 long years and had promised himself he would never see again. But here he was. He cleared his throat and raised his hand to knock. His fist wouldn't move. He checked his shirt, fixing the buttons. He checked the cuffs on his shirt, making sure they looked okay. He flattened any wrinkles in his pants. Anything his mom would criticize him on.

 _ **Knock Knock**_. He rapped his knuckles on the door, with a slight wince as pain shot through the bruised knuckles on the top of his hand. He heard slight commotions behind the door and a thirteen year old voice yell she would get the door. Gregor couldn't help but smile. He loved his sisters so much and hated that he had left them, but he had to. they had never cared what Gregor did because he always loved them and cared for them.

The door opened he saw Margaret standing there, a blank look on her face. And then when she saw who it was, she smiled big. His smile only grew bigger as his sister threw her arms around him. It had been too long since he had seen her. He had sent a card every year on her birthday, same with Lizzie and his parents. But Margaret was always the one he missed the most. He snuggled his his head down onto his sister and they stood like that for what felt like hours. When he looked up, he saw someone standing there, arms across their chest.

"Hey mom," Gregor said letting go of his sister.

"You couldn't even call and tell us you were coming," his mom said coldly, obviously not happy to see him. "Come in." Gregor walked into the apartment and smelled something cooking. He saw Lizzie looking at the door from the kitchen table. And she had grown. She was tall, taller than their mother. She stood from the table and cautiously walked to her brother. Gregor opened his arms and Lizzie took her opportunity. She wrapped her arms around her brother and he could hear her crying. He patted her on the back, cooing quietly in ear to calm her down. His mom stood staring at them, the coldness still present in her eyes.

"Liz, I need to talk to mom and dad, okay," said Gregor to his sister. She was 17 but still way too skinny and, as of the last time he saw her, still prone to panic attacks. She let him go and ushered Margaret out of the kitchen, hissing at her younger sister the whole way. Margaret wanted to stay, Gregor knew. She always wanted to be in the action.

"Grace, who's there?" he heard his father call from around the corner, in the kitchen.

"Come and see for yourself," his mother replied. He knew he was in for something bad. Insults and arguments were always what happened and that's why he had chosen to leave. Civil conversation never happened between him and his parents. His father's head poked around the corner and Gregor tried to smile, but he knew it looked more like a grimace. This was uncomfortable. His father's face actually lit up when he saw him though. It was actually surprising.

"Gregor, it's good to see you. And you look good. Healthy, I assume." His dad was being cordial, but he couldn't hide the fact that he wanted to know why Gregor was here.

"Can we sit down? I need to talk to you guys about something." His parents obliged and took seats at the kitchen table with him. His eyes bounced between each of theirs as he had to figure out where to start, but his mom made it easier for him.

"What do _you_ want?" she spat at him eliciting a look from his dad. "Let me guess you need money for something. Is it drugs this time? At least you had the bright mind to dress nice." Gregor could see his mom breathing heavy, the anger of three years spewing out in just a few words. His dad laid a hand on his mom's arm, trying to calm her.

"Grace, that was uncalled for. Gregor is our so no matter what he has done. I am sure he is here for something important, isn't that right, Gregor?"

"Yea dad, I'm here for something important. I need your guys help and I don't have anyone to help me with it."

"None of your addict friends can help you, huh?" his mom snarled at him. His father this time stared his mom down. Gregor had never seen his dad act this way with his mom before.

"Grace, Gregor was clean when he left. You know that. It was a struggle for all of us and I'm sure Gregor has stuck with it."

"Yep. I didn't drink until I was supposed to dad. Twenty-one. Now it's just some wine with dinner or a beer or two with a friend." They were getting way off topic but he had expected it. His mom was going to be hostile with him. She was hurt by how he had acted so long ago and that wasn't going to be fixed with him gone for three years. "I just need someone to talk to. Layla can't help me and… umm… Bo… can't…" He couldn't get the words out. Both his parents knew Bo, but when he said Layla's name his parents both looked at him.

"Who's Layla?" His mom said not registering the small tears that were forming in Gregor's eyes. His dad saw them though and knew something was wrong.

"Don't answer that yet, Gregor. What's wrong? Did something happen?" Gregor nodded unable to say anything. His throat was tight as he saw the scene from the morning play over in his head. "What? Are you in trouble?"

He shook his head no and this time was able to say a few words. "Put on the news," he said through his tears. It was just noon and the news would be starting. His dad zipped into the living room and turned on the TV. His mom had followed and Gregor sat alone at the table. He could hear the news anchor talking and then a quick intake of breath from both of his parents. Obviously this was the headline for the program and they had heard what he couldn't tell them.

It was a couple minutes later when his parents came back in. His mom's face had lost it's cold edge and she surprised him with a rub on his back as she walked past him. His tears had subsided and everything was back to normal with him, but he could tell his parents had changed. The look on their faces told him everything.

"Gregor, we're sorry about Bo. And we both know that you could talk with your friends about that. So what happened that you need us for?" Gregor looked between his parents and saw that there was general interest and concern for him. And he let everything out.

"I assume you heard the robber that shot Bo died and that I was the one that did it. And that's the problem. I lost myself. I became something I had pushed away for almost ten years. And I have no one to talk to it about. No one but you knows about the underland, knows what I am, what I've done. Layla, she's my girlfriend, doesn't know anything about the underland and I don't want her to. I don't want to remember that part of my life. I don't want anyone to. But it seems that no matter how hard I try to put it behind me it always finds its way back. So basically I just need some advice, some way to clear my head and you guys are all I have left."

His parents looked at him with wide eyes. There was so much he had laid out for them that they didn't know about. But a small smile spread across his mother's mouth. It was the first smile he had seen from her that day and even from before he left.

"Gregor, maybe the best advice we can give is to just try to keep forgetting. Maybe you can't forget that you're a rager and you can't forget the things that happened to you, but you have to try to let it go. You already started. A girlfriend is a start. You are letting go of people that were important to you, but maybe it's for the best," his dad said with a certain fatherly certainty. It was good advice, but maybe it wasn't the right advice.

"I thought the same thing, dad. Move on and put everything behind you. I have it tattooed on my back as a gravestone. I wanted to move on because I saw what it did to me and to you two. The memories hurt everyone. But now it seems that maybe I need to let the memories stay. I can't suppress everything anymore because I think it will all explode at once. I got a taste of that today. I had that dream mom. The one that I never wanted your comfort when I had. And it brought questions from Layla. Questions I told myself I couldn't answer. But maybe the best thing to do is to answer them."

"You love her, don't you?" his mom asked after it was silent for a while. Gregor smiled and his mom smiled back at him.

"Yea, mom, I do. She's the best thing to happen to me in a long time and I couldn't live without her. And that's why I don't know what to do. I can't keep avoiding her questions, but she needs to know otherwise that will always be between us. I don't know what to do."

"I might know," a small voice said from the entrance to the kitchen. Gregor spun around and looked at Lizzie standing there, her hands trembling slightly. But she had determination in her eyes. "Maybe the best way to fix this is to visit places you did when you were younger. Places that meant something to you, places where you thought or places you thought of when you were in trouble. It helps me sometimes to do that, so it might help you to."

"You know what, Lizzie, you're a genius," Gregor said jumping to his feet. He wrapped his sister in a hug and lifted her off her feet to small squeal of protest interspersed with laughter. "Thank you, Liz," he added as he put her down. She scurried off back to his other sister. He turned back to his parents and his mom was smiling again.

"They miss you, you know," she said a hint of sadness in her voice. "You should have come back sooner."

"I know," Gregor said walking over to his mom and wrapping his arms around her as she sat in the chair. "I'm sorry for everything I did and everything I didn't do. There is so much I regret and not asking you guys for help sooner is number one on the list."

"I'm sorry,too," his mother replied. She stood and returned Gregor's hug. "Now when do I get to meet this Layla." She was laughing now. It was good to see his mom happy for once. It was just good to be back with his family.

"Oh, I'll get her over here soon. I'm certain you'll like her. She keep me in line. She's why I came here. And why I'm dressed so nice," Gregor said adding the last line with a chuckle. He had planned on coming in his usual casual attire, but Layla wouldn't allow it.

He was at the door ready to leave. He had a busy late afternoon, early evening in front of him. Lunch was good after his mom forced him to stay to eat with everyone, and he caught everyone up on his life since he left. His father wasn't too pleased about the MMA stuff, still wanting Gregor to be a scientist. He was happy though to know that Gregor kept up with all things science. He found out Lizzie had gotten a scholarship, a full ride, to New York University. There was just so much he had missed. And he had to promise everyone he would be back soon to visit. He had dreaded coming to see his family and now he dreaded having to leave them. But he had things to do.

He hailed a cab and was on his way to the one place he had thought so much about when he was a kid: The cloisters. The knights inside had been his driving force, something for him to look up to in the face of death. It had become part of him, but it had also left him. He had forgotten the basic idea he had gotten from it. Bravery did not always mean coming out unharmed. Death was always a possibility and it should not be feared but revered.

For a second time that day a taxi was speeding away from him. The building was old and the architecture medieval. But he felt a strange sense of security as he walked inside. The stone knights inside lay unmoving, but they were still there. They were still strong, still solid, hands ready to draw their swords and protect whatever it was they had protected. And he felt the opposite. He was strong outside, but inside he was a mess, weak and hiding from the important things. He had to regain his mental strength and stop hiding. He had to unveil everything he was hiding to be able to protect himself. Layla was right to probe him for answers. She just wanted to help him, in a way he couldn't help himself.

It was getting dark out when he walked outside. He had spent hours inside the cloisters thinking and making his decision. But he couldn't fight the urge to go to one last place. Central Park was so important to him that he had to go. After he had left the underland, he had returned to Central Park often to pace back and forth near the rock that hid the entrance to below. It was his way of thinking then. Thinking about what was going on underneath his feet. It had nearly driven him insane. But it was because of that that he had to return. There was something he needed to do to put the underland behind him. His memories would stay with him, but the place would have to become another world for him to live normal.

The walk to the park took him enough time for it to be almost pitch black out. He flipped on the flashlight on his phone and walked through familiar paths to where he knew the entrance was. He looked at the exact stone and thought about the underland that was miles below. There were people he knew down there, people he cared for. People that he had moved on from. They were just memories now. He kneeled down in front of the rock and felt the surface. It was a goodbye.

When he stood he saw a person in a heavy hooded sweatshirt, the hood up, standing not far from him. "What are they doing wearing that at this time of year?" Gregor thought as he took a few steps away from the person. But the stranger started towards him like it knew him. It wasn't running or prowling, but casually walking towards him. Maybe he knew the person. The stranger stopped right in front of him and Gregor looked into their eyes. And then he nearly collapsed.

The stranger's eyes were a striking shade of violet.

* * *

 **Dun-Dun-Duhhh. Underland is so close I can taste it. I wrote the last half of this a bit late at night, but I like it. How did you guys like it? And who is the underlander that has come to visit Gregor? Tell me what you think and find out next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again guys. Sorry for the long departure on the writing. A week feels too long for me to not post a chapter. Especially after such a cliff hanger at the end of last chapter. I want to thank everyone who has views and posted reviews on the story and for all the advice people have given me. Everything is appreciated. Thanks to Vengeous for some specific things I need and want to work on in the story. Hopefully you all enjoy.**

* * *

 **4**

"What the-!" Gregor cried, recoiling from the individual in front of him. His feet fell out from under him and he found himself lying on the ground. He crawled back on his hands and feet never taking his eyes off the strange person. "Who are you?" Gregor asked his voice higher than it had been in a long time.

The individual pulled the hood back and revealed their face, but Gregor couldn't see it in the dark and his phone had fallen to the ground a few feet away, the flashlight facing the ground. He scrambled over to it and flipped the light on the stranger's face. It was the strangers turn to recoil as the bright white LED light splashed on them. Gregor though saw the things he needed to see. Big hands and muscular arms under the sleeves of the jacket told him that there was a fighter in front of him. Shoulder length, metallic blonde hair told him it was a female. And the translucent skin and purple eyes told him that it was an underlander.

"Are you not Gregor, the Warrior of Legend?" the stranger said from behind her arms. The voice sounded vaguely familiar to him like a piece of him he had left behind. He clambered to his feet, brushed himself off and turned his attention to the question he was asked. His eyes looked over the features of the person in front of him trying to see if the face meant anything to his aged memories. Nothing came. "I'll still answer. For courtesy's sake," Gregor thought.

"Uh, yea. I'm Gregor," he said and then finally realizing the strangers discomfort from the light he was shining on them, flipped the light off. "Sorry 'bout that," he muttered.

"It is no issue," the woman replied. "Do you not remember me, Gregor?" His brain racked itself down its very core, into his deepest memories. Faint things came back to him. The jawline. The cheeks. The eyes. And then it clicked.

"Perdita?!" Gregor sputtered, amazed at his own idiocy. He had known her since the first day he stepped foot in the underland, and while that had not been on the best of situations when he left he felt they were friends. He had thought that he would remember everyone, how they looked, how they acted if he ever went back. That idea was officially blown out of the water.

"It is I, Gregor and I am joyed to see that you recognize me. It has been long since we last met. How be you?" Gregor's head was all over the place. A person he hadn't seen in nine years was talking to him in a way he hadn't even really remembered. And to make it all worse, she was wearing clothes that totally made her look like an overlander. He was on the verge of losing it.

"I'm good. Today wasn't a great day for me, but I'm good. The better question is why are you here? Why did you come to the overland and how did you know I would be here?"

"It is good to hear that you have been well. Here I am because we have not been well. We are in need of your assistance, your aid, Gregor. As to why I knew you would be here, let me say Nerissa told me," Perdita finished and her jovial tone seemed to slip away a bit. Her voice quieted at the mention of Nerissa.

"How is Nerissa?" Gregor asked thinking of the frail sickly woman who had done much for him. She was in her late teens when he left so she would in her twenties by now. Perhaps even married.

"She lost her light several years past. She told me in some of her final moments that she saw me talking to you here and that Regalia was in danger. I did not heed her words for many a time, but as I saw the bad befall Regalia I decided it was fit for me to listen to her. This was just the second time I have come above and you are here. "

Gregor felt his heart drop. Nerissa was creepy, yes, but she was always good natured. She had saved his life and been one of the many who supported him and assisted him on his quests and prophecies. He felt pangs of sadness and an emptiness in him. It had never occurred to him what it would be like to know someone from the underland had died. And if Nerissa felt like this how would it feel if it was Vikus. Or Luxa. "No. Stop this Gregor," he thought to himself in third person. "You told yourself, your parents, that you were moving on. Stop thinking about it."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gregor said his voice hiding the thoughts and emotions flooding his body. Perdita looked at him for a second and nodded her head.

"Will you come with me?" She asked him, gesturing to the stone and the tunnel below that would lead to the entrance to the waterway. His gut reaction was to say yes. There was the unnatural urge to go back underground and to have his adrenaline pump as he risked his life. But his brains reaction was no. It was time to move on and live normal, settle down and start a family, have his family involved in his life again. And his heart said maybe. There were people above and below he cared about. Yea, he had told himself to give up on them and he had for some time, wallowing away for years before righting himself in the recent past. Maybe a quick incursion down was all he needed to be done. To finally get the closure he needed with the underland and to move on.

"I need to think about it, Perdita. I have to talk to people about this. How long will you give me?"

"I have to go back soon. There is an army to lead," Perdita said with a snicker. "There will be a flier waiting for you should you decide to return. I beg that you do, but I and others will understand should you choose to stay here. You have done much for us already and this would be only something else for us to pay you back."

"I understand," Gregor replied. His feet started to carry him away and he heard the grating of the stone as Perdita lifted it up.

"Fly you high, Gregor," she said with him just within earshot. He paused for a split second at the words and then continued on. There was one more thing to draw him back in. All the times people had said to him when he left. On every quest, every time he left to go home. It was just something that had become a part of him, a part he had forgotten long ago. All of this was starting to become too much for him.

His feet carried him to the street and he hailed a taxi. To his luck the first driver pulled up to him and stopped. The door opened before him and he plopped into a seat. He reacted to the driver's words, spewing out his address. As the yellow car drove, he watched all the lights pass, streaks against the darkness. He watched people as they walked along the sidewalk not a care in the world, their heads not fighting a battle about a place that few would believe to be real. And even fewer would be considering talking to their loved ones about it.

It had only taken him a few minutes to decide to go back to the underland and to hear what they had to tell him. But it was going to take much longer to explain to Layla where he was going and why. This was a make or break moment in the most important relationship he had. There was no way to make a person believe what he knew was even possible. Scientists would say it impossible for rats and bats and cockroaches to grow to such sizes. They would say it was impossible for people to live miles below the surface without sunlight. And he knew it was all possible.

"You gonna get out, pal?" the driver spat at him. Gregor looked and realized the cab was still and they were sitting in front of his building. He grabbed a wad of cash and dropped it in the driver's hand without caring to count it. It was just enough for him to even remember to pay with the whirling thoughts that flowed between his ears.

He opened the door to his apartment gently and stepped in. Right after the lock clicked into place he heard footsteps and then felt a warm figure wrap him up from behind. Sweet scents drifted to his nose from Layla's hair and the smell of cinnamon wafted to his nose from the kitchen. He gripped the pair of hands that were gripping him and pried them apart only to turn around and wrap his own arms around the person those hands belonged to.

"You were gone along time. Did you sort everything out?" Layla said, her voice weary. Gregor broke away from her and looked at her face. He could see the red around her eyes, the saggy seats she wore, the old t-shirt. She was a mess and he knew it was because of him and her worry for him. And he was only going to make it worse.

"I did and I didn't. My parents helped a lot and we're back on decent terms for now. But there is something we really need to talk about. Something I should have told you about a long time ago."

"Oh okay, Gregor. Let's go sit-"

"No. I assume that that cinnamon I'm smelling is tea. Take it to the room and we'll talk in there. It's better for you to be comfortable cause I have a lot to tell you." Layla looked like she wanted to ask about a million questions and wanted to cry about a million and one of them, but she muttered a quiet okay and shuffled to the kitchen. Gregor took his chance to grab a change of clothes before going to help Layla in the kitchen. As soon as he walked in he heard Layla sniffling and knew she was crying. She was trying to pour the tea, but her hand was shaking so bad that he knew she was going to burn herself. With a gentle touch he wrapped one arm around her shoulder and placed the other on her hand.

"Go sit down on the bed. I'll bring the tea. Okay?" Gregor said calmly, the words soothing and strong. Layla looked at him her blue eyes begging him that everything was okay. He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head and held her close for a second longer. "Okay?"

He loaded the two steaming cups of tea and some of Layla's favorite cookies onto a tray and carried it the short distance to their room. Layla sat, her knees to her chin, looking at the door waiting. Gregor placed the tray in front of her and climbed onto the bed next to her. She instantly grabbed onto his arm like a little girl holds her stuffed animal. She didn't want to let him go.

"Layla, I'm gonna tell you something you're not going to believe, but I need you to promise me that you will trust me on everything I tell you. Can you do that for me?" Layla sat still for a moment and then slowly nodded her head. "Good. Drink your tea." He felt like he was talking to a small child. Layla was that confused at the moment, her emotions all over the place. She sipped the tea and it seemed to work magic bringing the scared girl that he loved back to almost her normal self.

"Gregor, are you going to tell me where you got all those scars from?" she asked her voice quiet, but the weariness was gone and he could tell that she was ironing out all her thoughts.

"Yea. There is a story to every single one, but every single one is related to the other in many ways. The people that were there when they happened, the reasons for them. And it all goes back to one place: The underland. It all started one day when I was eleven years old…"

The room was silent and brooding. Every shadow made him jump, every sound drawing his attention. He felt amped, ready to go, to do what he had to do. But he just lay there, reacting to his senses. Layla turned over next to him, deep in sleep. He could only imagine what she was dreaming about. He had told her everything from his first tumble through the grate to the last time he stepped out from below. And he told her about his encounter with Perdita just hours before. To his surprise she had taken all of it well. At first she had thought he was pulling her leg, but as he went on he had seen her face change. His tone had conveyed all the real raw emotion that he had felt. His fear when he first landed in the underland. The sadness and anger at Henry's betrayal. The pain from the losses of friends on the trip to find the Bane. The anguish of losing his Ares, his bond and best friend to the Bane in that final battle. He had traced his story through his scars.

Her biggest interest had been Luxa. Gregor didn't shy away from discussing his young love with her. He told her about his fear that she had died and how he had finally realized he loved her before his final battle. He assured her though that it was long lost love and that she was the one for him. It had taken hours to tell it all. A year's worth of adventure and suffering and doing and seeing things that no one at his age should have seen. Layla felt sad for him, she had told him that just before she fell asleep. He knew she had doubts of giant rats that could talk and that she shuddered at the idea of four foot long roaches. She hated bugs.

"Gregor," he heard the quiet voice beside him and he turned his head to it. "I want to go with you when you go back down there. I'm not letting you go there alone no matter what." He concluded that whatever she had been dreaming about had made her come to that idea. But it wasn't something he was going to let happen.

"Layla, I can't do that. It may be danger-"

"No, Gregor," Layla said back louder than he expected. She was fully awake now. "If you go back I go with you. End of story. I need to see this to fully believe it. I love you more than the world and I need to know that you are safe. That's the end of it." Gregor smiled and rolled onto his side. He reached out and brushed his loves hair out of her face.

"Okay. We'll go together, but you'll promise to do everything I say. Now let's try to get some sleep. It's gonna be a busy morning." He closed his eyes shut and feigned sleep. The quiet breathing from beside him slowly lulled him to sleep.

* * *

The apartment felt alive as Gregor picked up his phone. There was noise everywhere, but he shut it out. Layla buzzed past him and into the kitchen for the umpteenth time that morning. The ringing of his phone in his ear added to the noise and he took in a deep breath. The ringing continued and he waited. Layla flashed two brown bags in front of his face and he directed her to the backpack on the floor. The ringing went on again and then it stopped.

"Hello?" someone said wearily into the phone. "Gregor, why are you calling so early," his mother asked him.

"I have to tell you something mom," he said. When she didn't say anything he continued. "I'm going back."

"WHAT!?" his mother exploded into the phone. "Yesterday you tell me you're over the place and today you're going back! What is wrong with you?!"

"I saw an old friend of mine yesterday and they need my help. I'm going down to see what's up and if I don't like it I'm coming back. One day, two at the most and I'll be done."

"What about your girlfriend? What are you telling her?"

"Layla is coming with me."

"WHAT!?" his mother screamed louder this time. "You are really crazy."

"I love you too, mom. I'll talk to you soon," Gregor said hanging up. It went exactly as he expected. There went the perfect family he had going for all of seventeen hours. He sighed and tossed his phone on the couch next to him, closing his eyes and thinking about the morning so far. Layla had gotten up and been all over the place doing everything. Make the coffee, call her boss to say she was sick and couldn't come to work, made them lunch like they were going on a picnic. It was a lot.

"Gregor what should I wear?" Layla called to him. All she had done and now she was worrying about what to wear. He on the other hand was already as ready as he could be. With a sigh he pushed himself off the couch, his combat boots feeling heavy on his feet. The bag of things he had collected rattled on his back. Flashlights, knives, tape, rope. Anything he felt he might need to keep Layla and him safe.

He peeked his head into the room and saw a pair of lace underwear going flying from one side to the other. It took effort to restrain the giggles he felt rising in his chest. Carefully, he took a few steps into the room making sure not to invade Layla's privacy. Another pair of underwear flew right at him and he caught them inches from his face. They were some of his favorites for her to wear. Layla was standing there nearly stark ass naked digging through her draws looking for clothes.

"What do I wear?" she asked again.

"Just throw on the cargo pants I got you when we went hiking and then a t-shirt." He himself was wearing basically the same thing he had told her to put on. Compression shorts under his boxers with cargo pants and a sleeveless shirt. "And put some comfortable underwear on." He added flinging the lacy pair he was holding onto the bed. Layla hardly seemed to notice his suggestion as she pulled out more clothes before finally pulling out some of her own compression shorts and a sports bra. She held them up for him to look at and he reluctantly nodded, telling her to wear those. She pulled the compressions on and threw the sports bra on before digging through her draws again. Gregor huffed and sat on the bed knowing it would take quite a while before they were going anywhere.

* * *

The door closed behind him and he turned the key in the lock, before tossing it back into the bag he had on his back. His coffee was hot in his hand, but he didn't notice the pain that was building. There was adrenaline flowing through every inch of his body, his brain ready to delve back into a world he hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity. Layla's hand found his and her fingers intertwined with his as they set off for the street and the eventual cab ride to central park. As a taxi came to a stop before them, Gregor felt his nerves start to rise. He was really going back.

"Central Park," Gregor said to the driver who muttered an okay under his breath and hit the gas. With the driver's attention far from the two in the back of cab, Gregor unzipped his backpack and pulled out a flashlight which he then handed to Layla. "You're going to need this. It's pretty dark underground." At the word underground he saw the driver's eyes peek up into the rearview mirror and at the two of them before looking back at the bumper of the car that sat in front of them. Gregor scooted the pack a little bit further over out of the driver's view and reached in again. Layla let out a small yelp of surprise and Gregor put a finger to his mouth to silence her. In his hands he had two knives he had owned for some time, one six inches long, straight, with one edge serrated. It was a survival knife he had bought in case he went out in the woods. The other was a kukris, a foot long curved blade. This one had been a gift from his father on his fifteenth birthday.

"Just in case," Gregor said as he clipped them onto his belt, both of them sheathed. He pulled his shirt down over them. The rest of the bag could be useful but only in very specific situations but he wasn't going to go without them. The cab drove through stop and start traffic towards the park and Gregor felt himself getting anxious from the wait. He could see the nerves in Layla's face, her jaw set tight and her eyes wandering constantly. Her eyes fell on him and he smiled placing his hand on her leg. She smiled back and brushed his hand away with a wink. He was glad he was showing her part of his past even if there was a chance that he wouldn't like what he would see.

The cab stopped, they got out, and the yellow car shot off like a bullet, leaving them standing on the side of the road staring at the expanse of the park. Gregor took Layla's hand and weaved his way through the park's many paths and past the early morning joggers and dog walkers. They walked casually to the exact spot where he knew they could enter the underland. His finger dug under the stone and lifted it up, revealing the stone stairs beneath it. He stepped one foot in and then the other, offering his hand to Layla. He helped her in and they went down just enough so he could close the rock into place. The light left and they were surrounded by black. And Gregor felt at home.

* * *

 **Finally getting to the good part! Underland here we come. Everyone keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times as we are getting closer to the best parts of every underland chronicles story. Tell me what you though of this and what you think will come next. See you next time guys.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh my gosh guys. I am so sorry for the long wait on this chapter. Been really busy with life and stuff. Had a wedding to go to and planning stuff for college, buying books, and stuff for my room is just draining me. But here is chapter 5 and this is where the story really kicks off. Things are going to start going faster from here I hope. I wanna thank everyone who left reviews for the support. I really appreciate it. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

 **5**

The dark enveloped him, wrapping itself around his body, caressing him. He welcomed it with open arms accepting the feeling of being without light. His eyes desperately tried to adapt to the lack of light, but the effort was futile. There was no light anywhere. But Gregor could see. The sound of his breath shot images to his brain and his feet set off down the stairs.

"Gregor, where did you go?" came Layla's call, her voice rising with fear and anxiety. He spun around at the bottom of the stairs, his echolocation showing Layla standing huddled at the top of the stairs, unwilling to move any part of her body.

"I'm right down here, babe. Use the flashlight I gave you." At the mention of the flashlight Layla seemed to break out of her statuesque state, her hand reaching for her belt where she had clipped the flashlight. The beam shot on and she shined the bright white light straight down the stairs at him, right into his eyes. Gregor grimaced as the light burned his eyes, the brightness too much for his nearly dilated pupils. He shielded his eyes and waited till the light was off his face.

"That's for leaving me at the top of the stairs in the dark," Layla huffed at him before turning her attention to their surroundings. "This looks man made." The walls of the tunnel were brick and mortar made long ago and most likely unused in the present time.

"Yea, it's man made for now, but it gets much more wild in a bit. C'mon, it's this way," Gregor said motioning to his right and heading off, Layla right at his side. Gregor kept his hand on the handle of his Kukris in case of trouble. He fingered the grip, his palm sweaty with nervous anxiety, hoping that there wouldn't be need for the blade to have to leave its sheath.

The pair walked down the long tunnel their feet stamping through the dust and dirt that covered the brick beneath. Layla's light danced along the walls, the brick slowly disappearing to the natural stone of the earth. A quiet roar started to come to Gregor's attention, growing louder with each and every step. It wasn't long after that that Layla started to notice it as well. She shot him a look of worry and he shook his head before suddenly shooting his arm out in front her to stop her. Just in time to stop her from tumbling into the void in front of them.

He started to use clicks to bring more detail to his head instead of relying on his breathing. The void before him seemed to have little detail of note like normal. The walls were just that. Rough, uneven walls pock-marked with cave entrances all leading to a drop into the wild river below that lead to the underland sea known as the waterway. And they stood on one of those drops.

"Overlander, drop," a voice purred below them. Layla jumped at the sudden voice, wrapping her arms around Gregor's arm.

"What was that?" she said scared. Gregor smiled and patted her on the shoulder with his free hand.

"It's a friend," Gregor replied, before extracting himself from Layla's arm. He kneeled down and looked over the edge. The outline of a bat was visible from the limited light of Layla's flashlight and Gregor smiled a bit more. He could make out stripes along the back of the flier below him. He clambered back to his feet and turned his back to the void, his feet right on the edge. "Our ride is here." With that he stepped off backwards.

He heard the scream, but he kept himself controlled. It was only a second he fell before a furry body collected him and rose back up. There was a quiet huh-huh-huh sound that Gregor knew was from his bat companion.

"That was not very smart," Nike purred to him. Gregor shook his head knowing that Layla was probably freaking out.

"Can you fly into the tunnel, please?" Gregor asked his bat friend. Nike obliged and she looped up into the tunnel right over Layla's head. Her feet contacted the ground and Gregor slid off the bat's back. Layla was standing there her mouth agape at the sight of her boyfriend climbing off a massive bat. And then the anger came.

"Gregor, you are an idiot! A crazy, insane idiot!" Layla yelled as she stomped over to him. Before she could do anything irrational Gregor wrapped her in his arms and even though she squirmed, he held her tight. He fists tried to beat against his chest, but he hardly noticed. Layla finally stopped struggling, apparently exhausted and Gregor let go of her.

"I had to do that so you could see that we have friends here. This is Nike," Gregor said gesturing to the black and white striped bat. "She is the-," Gregor paused not sure of what Nike's title was anymore. Nike filled in for him.

"I am the queen of the fliers," she said. "My mother died a few years after your departure."

"I am sorry to hear that, Nike," Gregor replied, feeling for his flier friend. "This is my girlfriend, Layla."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Layla. Come, we must head for Regalia. There is much to be done." Gregor moved towards Nike and was about to hop onto her back when he saw Layla hadn't moved from where she stood. He stopped and looked at her, his eyes pleading for her to move. She didn't. He went back to her and took both her hands in his.

"I know this is weird and different and strange, but you have to trust me. Everything will get more normal when we get to Regalia. " He looked down at her and squeezed her hands. She looked up at him and held his gaze.

"I trust you." They held hands as they went to Nike. She ducked her body low and Gregor helped Layla on first before climbing on behind her. He hugged her to him as Nike took off. He felt Layla tense and he eased her tension with quiet words telling her to trust Nike and that she wouldn't drop them. It only took a few minutes before Layla was relaxed and shining her light on everything they passed.

Gregor was burning to as Nike the millions of questions that were circulating in his head. But one thing Gregor knew was patience would always pay off and he would have his questions answered in only a few moments. Instead he sat and watched Layla who seemed to be in the absolute perfect calm state. He followed where she shone her light from the walls to the water raging below them. He caught sight of white caps on the raging river and the possible outline of a massive rock as it hurtled underneath them, carried by the current.

The light floated across the wall and past a cave entrance. It caught something in the beam that glared back at him, burning into him. The light reflected a pair of yellow eyes. Gregor felt his heart jump and his hands reach for his knives, but by then they were already past the cave and there wasn't a chance that a rat could jump out at them. He could tell it was a gnawer. He had seen those eyes in the dark many a time, whether they had been Ripred's or any unnamed rat he had ever seen.

His eyes stopped scanning the walls for just a second to look at the two females he was with. Neither of them seemed to have seen what he saw. Nike didn't seem to be moving any quicker and in fact she seemed to be slowing. Maybe he had been seeing things, but to make sure he added another question to the long list he already had.

His fingers slowly eased off the handles of his blades and he returned his focus to the other thing around them. There was a dim light in front of them that was growing stronger with each passing second. He didn't even have to get Layla's attention to it as she had beat him to it. He could feel the anticipation rushing through his body knowing what was just up ahead. One of the things Layla had questioned was Regalia and how people could build something so wonderful underground. He knew his words had done the city an injustice and now it was time for justice to be served.

Nike turned a corner and the city burst out in front of them. Gregor heard a gasp from in front of him and even he was astonished with the view. Spires soared hundreds of feet in the air. Towers and buildings covered the cavern floor and he could see dozens of groups of people milling about going about their business. Layla was rambling about the spires and the carvings and everything that he loved about Regalia. All that was left was to see the people he cared about.

They flew a circuit over the whole city before turning towards the palace. The majestic structure stood on the edge of the cavern, the walls so smooth that nothing could scale them. The entire thing stood as a fortress against the enemies of the humans, a last resort for if they were unable to hold the walls that kept the city proper safe. There was a small group of people using the lift that carried regular people into the palace if they didn't have a flier to assist them. And many citizens of Regalia didn't. Nike cruised towards the high hall and slowed for landing. Her feet brushed the ground and her wings gave one more quiet flutter before she sat still. Gregor hopped off and assisted Layla off.

"Thanks for flying us here, Nike," Gregor said bowing to the bat.

"It was my pleasure, Gregor," she replied back. The bats eyes then looked behind Gregor and he saw what could have been a smile cross her face. He spun around and saw just two people waiting for him. He stood to his full height and took Layla's hand in his a smile across his face. He glanced over at Layla and saw the strange look she had on her face. It was probably close to the one he wore when he first saw underlanders. Purple irises, translucent skin, strange clothes. It all seemed alien, but it was very much from earth.

The two humans approached them, one male, and one female. The male walked over to Nike and extended his right hand which was met with her right claw. It was the greetings of bonds. They exchanged a few quick words and then Nike rose into the air and flew from the palace. The male came back to stand in front of Gregor a smile on his weary face.

Perdita and Howard stood before Gregor and Layla. Gregor looked over both of them, examining each of them. Howard still had the height advantage, but only by an inch or two. Below his eyes were heavy bags and his shoulders slumped forward slightly. His arms, however, were both strong with muscle and his entire body seemed to be full of power, much like his father. Perdita was the same as she had been all those years ago. She hadn't grown, she hadn't put on weight. She was the same taciturn woman he knew.

"Hello, Gregor. I am glad to see you have decided to listen to my words and have come back," Perdita said. "You have brought a friend?"

"Yea. Howard, Perdita, this is Layla. She's my girlfriend." Perdita stepped forward and embraced Layla warmly. It took a moment before Layla returned the hug.

"What is the meaning of girlfriend?" Howard asked quietly, the weariness of his face present in his voice.

"I guess it's like courting. We're a couple." Howard responded with an oh and nodded his head in understanding.

"Do you two go on dates?" he asked slyly remembering the word Gregor had used when Luxa and him had tried to slip out of the palace to investigate the nibblers near the fount. Gregor chuckled a bit and nodded his head

"It's good to see you again Howard," Gregor said to the older man. "Where is everyone else?" Both Perdita and Howard seemed to sink. Any jovialness that had been present was gone.

"Many things have changed Gregor since you left us. Many people you knew have lost their light," Perdita said stopping when she saw the Gregor's face had suddenly become very still and his breathing had increased. "Do not fear Gregor. Those closest to you are well. Luxa had a council meeting to attend or else she would be right here greeting you. The sadness is that both Vikus and Mareth have lost their light."

Gregor's heart dropped. He felt weak and his legs lost all strength they had just moments before. He crumbled to the floor, his heart in agony. Vikus was his most trustworthy friend. Someone who would guide him, advise him, and be there for him in times of need. He knew the old man wasn't in the best of health when he left, but the news of his death still hit home hard. And on top of that Mareth was gone as well. The strong soldier who, even without a leg, was always ready to help people, lead people. His hugs hurt, but not nearly as much as the pain that was crushing the inside of his heart. He hadn't felt pain like this since Larry passed.

"How?" he croaked out through his tight throat. There were tears trying to flow from his eyes, but he held them back. He could cry later. Now he wanted to know why his friends had gone.

"It was my grandfather's time," Howard said very quietly. "He passed in his sleep only a few years ago. He had always hoped to see you one last time and I believe that it was that hope that kept him going as long as he did." Everyone stayed quiet. Layla was sitting next to him, her hand caressing his back, but he hardly noticed.

"And Mareth?"

"Gregor, now is not the time to discuss Mareth's passing," Perdita replied, sadness in her voice. Gregor flared his nostrils and grunted. He wanted to know now.

"Perdita, don't play with me. How did Mareth die?" Gregor put all his emotion into the words, his eyes burning with angst and pain.

"A sword thrust through the heart," Perdita replied before turning on her heel and marching away. Gregor thought he heard a faint sob from her, but he knew that Perdita wasn't one to sob. That was why she was a soldier and a good one at that. She hardly felt remorse, felt sadness.

Howard bent down next to him and quickly looked over him before helping him to his feet. They stood quietly for a moment before Howard spoke again. "Much has changed Gregor. I am the head doctor of Regalia. Perdita is not just a solider anymore. She now leads all of Regalia's army. Mareth was her husband, the father of her child. It is hard for her to talk about his passing." Gregor had no idea about any of that. Mareth and Perdita had gotten married. They had a kid. And he forced her to tell him how he died. It wasn't many words, but he knew how hard it was to lose someone you cared about and loved. He had lost to many of those people himself. "Come, I will show you to a bath so you may bathe if you wish. Is there anything you would wish to keep?"

"Yea. Can they put both of our clothes in the museum and put our packs in there as well?"

"Indeed. I will inform the servants of such." The trio walked quietly through the halls and the faint sound of running water could be heard in the walls. And the Gregor remembered something he needed to ask.

"Howard, I saw a pair of rat eyes as we were flying towards the city. Are they that close to the city?"

"Oh yes. The closest gnawer colony is just a few thousand feet from Regalia. They work with us on improvements to the city and defense of it in exchange for food. It has been that way since just a few years after the war of time." Gregor felt his heart ease at the news that there wasn't an army of vicious rats only a few thousand feet from the city. He didn't have to fear for his or Layla's life while they were here.

They reached the baths and Howard excused himself leaving them alone. Gregor could feel the slight change in temperature as he stood in front of the entrance to the baths. His body suddenly ached to dip in the warm water.

"Layla, it's a good idea if we go bathe. To the creatures of the underland we stand out like a sore thumb because of our smell. I know it sounds silly but it's just something we gotta do. The ladies side is on the left," Gregor finished and took a few steps into his bath, before Layla caught his hand.

"Can we go together?" she asked him. He could see the slight fear in her face and he couldn't help but discreetly roll his eyes.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you or me. We're in the one place that is nearly impossible to breach in the underland. It's just a bath. Plus, I'm not sure they like co-ed bathrooms here." That got a chuckle out of Layla. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Go and bathe. Clean everything including the inside of your ears." She released his hand and with a wry smile slinked off into the bath.

Gregor returned his mind to the allure of the warm water and he rushed into the bath. He tossed his pack to the side near the alcoves that resembled lockers, laid his knives down on a bench, and then wrenched his clothes off. They flew and landed with his pack, but by then he was already standing next to the small pool. He could feel the radiant heat and he eased his body down into the water. The warmness swam through his every muscle, every joint felt relieved, and he felt the tension in him flee. Everything terrible that had happened just the day before seemed to have happened ages ago. The images that had been vivid in his mind if he so much as thought of it now seemed vague and distant. He gave a soft moan of pleasure and sank his head below the surface of the water.

He popped up from underneath and reached to the side of the pool for the clear goop that he knew was what he was supposed to wash with. He scrubbed it onto every inch of skin from his armpits to his toes to the inside of his ears. The scent wasn't strong, but he could almost smell the cleanliness. Relaxed and clean he eased himself further into the water and let his mind wander into a mirade of directions. Every little thing came to him and he felt a sudden sense of urgency. All he wanted to know about was what was happening in the underland, how one of his best friends had been killed by a sword, and what they needed him for.

With his mind set to one train of thoughts, he pushed himself from the water, every inch of him soaking wet. He dried himself quickly and headed back to where he left his things. As expected his clothes and pack were gone, but his knives were still sitting where he left them on the bench. Next to them were underland clothes. They were always nice and comfortable and he remembered the feeling as he pulled them on. His boots were gone with his clothes so instead he slid his feet into the comfortable straw sandles that the underlanders wore. And lastly he strapped his knives to the belt the he wore around his waist. The knives clipped right on where he wanted them and he felt safe and protected again knowing they were right by his side.

He slipped out of the bathroom and was glad to see that Layla was waiting for him. With her stood a guard who on Gregor's arrival motioned for them to follow him. Gregor took Layla's hand and they followed behind the man as he weaved through the halls of the palace past servants and other guards and diplomats of all species. Gregor was pleasantly surprised by the amount of diversity in the palace as gnawers walked side by side with nibblers and crawlers scurried by following their human counterparts. It showed how much things had changed in the time he was gone and it all seemed to have changed for the better. But he knew that there was something that wasn't right, otherwise he wouldn't even be here to see all of these changes.

The guard finally came to a stop in front of a pair of doors. He opened one of them and ushered them inside without saying a word. Gregor stepped into the chamber beyond, his eyes scanning the room. There was a simple heptagonal table around which sat members of every species. Two nibblers, two gnawers, two fliers, two crawlers, two spinners, and even two diggers were sitting in quiet conversation amongst each other. Only one side of the heptagon was without occupants and only one species wasn't seated. Humans.

On his entrance the creatures stopped their idol chatter and he felt many pairs of eyes fall on him. His eyes naturally fell onto the gnawers and the larger of the two. Familiar scars crossed his snout and his eyes had the same look of deadly intelligence behind them. Ripred stared back at him and a small crooked smile appeared on his face. Gregor's eyes fell to the crawlers and a smile crossed his face as he saw his favorite crawler friend. Or at least the bent antenna that was the only thing that made Temp stand out. The cockroach was notably older his shell more gray than black, but it was a welcome sight to see that even the crawler that had gone through so much with him was still alive and kicking.

The only thing he couldn't figure out was where the other humans were. At the moment it was just Layla and him standing rather awkwardly hand in hand only a few feet into the room. He took a few steps further in and suddenly every single creature "stood" and looked right at him. He was shocked at first and then worried. They weren't looking at him. They were looking behind him. He spun around and saw two humans standing only a few steps behind him. One was tall and well built, a male, clearly a warrior. Next to him was someone shorter by about a foot, her hair a metallic blonde, braided down her back. A gold circlet sat on her head. It was his old friend. His old love.

"Gregor, please sit. You may be the last hope for us," Luxa said quietly, gesturing to the seats on the open side of the table.

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 **Boo-yah! Fun stuff to write and the ending was on point. Everything will make sense soon, but I'm not sure exactly how soon. I'm going to be putting this story on a bit of a hiatus so I can finish Terror of the Underland first. Really want that story done before I start college in less than two weeks and there is at least 4 or 5 more chapters to write in that. So that is priority one. But I might pop chapter 6 in some time if I find the time. Please drops those reviews guys especially after this chapter.**


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